In response to escalating concerns surrounding the rise of deepfakes and misinformation fueled by artificial intelligence (AI), the government has issued a directive for all platforms to adhere to IT rules, as outlined in an official release.
The advisory specifically targets intermediaries, including digital and social media platforms, requiring them to clearly and precisely communicate prohibited content specified under IT Rules to users. This move comes after discussions between Minister of State for IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar and intermediaries, addressing the particular threat posed by AI-generated deepfakes.
According to the advisory, content not allowed under the IT Rules, especially as per Rule 3(1)(b), must be explicitly communicated to users through terms of service, user agreements, and regular reminders during login and information sharing on the platform.
The advisory underscores the importance of informing users about penal provisions, including those in the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the IT Act of 2000. It further states that terms of service and user agreements must clearly specify the obligation of intermediaries/platforms to report legal violations to law enforcement agencies under relevant Indian laws.
Rule 3(1)(b) within the due diligence section of the IT rules mandates intermediaries to communicate their rules, regulations, privacy policy, and user agreement in the user's preferred language, as highlighted by the advisory. Platforms are obligated to make reasonable efforts to prevent users from engaging in activities related to the 11 listed user harms or prohibited content on digital intermediaries.
The advisory underscores the growing need to address deepfakes, which involve digitally manipulated and altered media, often using AI, to convincingly misrepresent or impersonate individuals. Recent incidents of 'deepfake' videos targeting prominent actors have gone viral, triggering public outrage and highlighting concerns about the potential misuse of technology for creating doctored content and fake narratives.
